Cape Town Chess Coach Development Workshop – Powered by the NLC

This past Saturday, Cape Town Chess hosted a powerful and practical coach development session at Bertha House, with 30 coaches coming together to sharpen their skills for the online chess era. Facilitated by Craig Willenberg (Senior Coach, CTCF) and Reuben Salimu (Head Coach, Chess South Africa), the workshop delivered honest conversations and useful tools around coaching mindset, lesson planning, monetisation, communication, and digital tools like Lichess, Chessable, and even AI. Key takeaways: ✔ Great coaching starts with connection and preparation ✔ Don't undervalue yourself as a coach – charge sustainably ✔ Use tech to engage students and track growth ✔ Simplify language, especially for younger players ✔ Don't aim for perfection – aim for clarity and progress ✔ Build systems, not chaos This event was sponsored by the National Lottery Commission and endorsed by Chess South Africa – and we're deeply grateful for their support in helping grow the next generation of chess educators.